Abstract

Introduction

Whether transplanted cardiac stem cells (CSCs) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) improved ventricular fibrillation threshold (VFT) similarly is still unclear. We sought to compare the effects of the CSC and MSC transplantation on the electrophysiological characteristics and VFT in rats with myocardial infarction (MI).

Methods

MI was induced in 30 male Sprague–Dawley rats. Two weeks later, animals were randomized to receive 5 × 106 CSCs labeled with PKH26 in PBS or 5 × 106 MSCs labeled with PKH26 in phosphate buffer solution(PBS) or PBS alone injection into the infarcted anterior ventricular free wall. Six weeks after the injection, electrophysiological characteristics and VFT were measured. Labeled CSCs and MSCs were observed in 5 μm cryostat sections from each heart.

Results

Malignant ventricular arrhythmias were significantly (P = 0.0055) less inducible in the CSC group than the MSC group. The VFTs were improved in the CSC group compared with the MSC group. Labeled CSCs and MSCs were identified in the infarct zone and infarct marginal zone. Labeled CSCs expressed Connexin-43, von Willebrand factor, α-smooth muscle actin and α-sarcomeric actin,while the Labeled MSCs expressed von Willebrand factor, α-smooth muscle actin and α-sarcomeric actin in vivo.

Conclusions

After 6 weeks of cell transplantation, CSCs are superior to MSCs in modulating the electrophysiological abnormality and improving the VFT in rats with MI. CSCs and MSCs express markers that suggest muscle, endothelium and vascular smooth muscle phenotypes in vivo, but MSCs rarely express Connexin-43.

Dr. Shao-Xin Zheng and Dr. Yin-Lun Weng played equally important roles in the development of the experimental protocol, in the interpretation of the results, and in the texture of the present article.

Notes

Funding

This study supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No: 81070125 and No: 30971262), Natural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (No: 8151008901000119) and Science and Technology Foundation in Guangdong Province (No: 2010B031600032). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Author details

Authors’ contributions

TW, SXZ, YLW and JFW contributed to the conception and design of the study protocol. SXZ, YLW, CQZ and ZZW participated in the coordination of the study and data collection. WW and HH contributed to the analysis and interpretation of the data. All authors were involved in drafting the manuscript or revising it critically for important intellectual content. All authors read and gave final approval of the present version of the manuscript to be published.